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[Fourth Edition.] 

Mount Vernon Association. 

^ OPINIONS OF THE PKES.S.. 

" It is indeed, eiitirelj' out of harmouy witii thesentimentconnected witli the 
spot to liave it fenced about and managed as tliough it were a show." 

Boston Evening Transcript. 

Tlic Baltimore Sun of June 29th has an article of nearly a column 
in fine ty\)(i^ written by its able Washington correspondent, F. A. R. 
Our limited space in this circular forbids its entire republication. 
Tiiis want of space we sincerely regret, for we consider it one of the 
strongest arguments that has so far been published on the question 
at issue to confirm public opinion that the Mount Vernon Association 
is an unjustifiable, unpatriotic and oppressive institiition, opposed to 
the teacliings and principles of a Kepublican Government, and a pro- 
])er respect due to the dead. The first sentence of the Sun's article 
in defence of the Mount Vernon Regency, reads : 

"Editorials and communications on the subject of Mount Vernon and tlie 
"fee"' exacted for visitin"' the tomb of Wasliinutou are just now of frequent 
occnrrence in the columns of tlie newspaper press of the country. A move- 
ment has been initiated in tliis city (Washinuton) with the purpose of devising 
some method by whicli admission to the grounds of Mount Vernon and the 
tomb of Wasliington shall be made free, and circulars sent from this city have 
been the inspiring cause of the publications above alluded to." 

So it seems that our little "circular sent from this city has been the 
inspiring cause of tlie publications above alluded to." This is truly 
gratifying to be informed that our little publication has been the 
cause of the great commotion extending from one end of the Union 
to tlie other ; it also proves that the press in every State is talcing a 
deep interest in the matter, and has decided to let the people know 
how the tombs of Wasliington and Lincoln are used for the purpose 
of making money out of the general public. Our single handed effort 
— (setting the type, working the press, biiyingpaper, envelopes, post- 
age stamns. and other expenses, all drawn fi'om our limited niPixus) 
can well be compared to the combat between David and Uoliath, and 
with truth, justice and res])ect for the illustrious dead for a weapon, 
we are confident that a headless giant will be the final result. 
"Truth is mighty and will prevail.'' 
"While error bruised and writhed with pain, 
Will die amidst her worshippers." 

Again says the Sun's correspondent : 

"Among other statements is one giving the whole credit of acquiring the 
Mount Vernon estate to Edward Everett. Mr. Everett's services were most 
valuable and patriotic, but the sum total raised by his articles on Washinsiton 
and the famous oration which he repeated so many times was •'i!(>8,000. * * The 
remainder of the $220,000 principal^^itl interest of the purchase money for 
Mount Vernon was collocled by Up^adies of the Associations, and mostly 
through individual subscriptions.' J^ 

This extract sustain tlie stmenient published in the N. Y, Even- 
ing Telegram, Boston JourjjSl, and Kansas C'ity Times, that the peo- 
ple furnished the money t9 purchase Washington's tomb. There is 
no evidence to show that the said ladies personally gave a dollar to tlie 
fund required to purchase the estate. The money came directly from 
the people, and the first act of the Regents was to demand one dollar 
and fifty cents for the privilege; of visiting the tomb and the estate 
])urcha<ed by popular subscription. A sum far in excess of the means 
of four-fifths of the said subscribers ; and furthermore, we are in- 
formed by tiie Sun's correspondent, ''That the original act author- 
ized the cliarge of twenty-five cents admission, aiid the association 
claims that this sum has never been exceeded." If this statement is 
correct wlio got the additional one dollar and twenty-five cents paid 
by visitors for several yeai'sfor admissson to the premises? 



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^., S@°We invite special attention to this quotation from tlie Sun's 

ly) I article : "'The original act authorized the charge of twenty-five cts. 

' * > •' admission, and tlie association claims that this sum has never been 

"exceeded." As an eye-witness to the contrary we most emphati- 
cally contradict this statement. We were one who went witli a party 
of about twenty-five on the Steamer Mary Washington to test the ad- 
mittance question. On landing and reaching the gate, which was 
closed and barred as we approached, each one of the party off"ered 
the superintendent, Col. HoUingsworth, 2o cents to be admitted 
which he refused. The first one who off'ered tlie 25 ct. fee was the 
old veteran, Tliomas Davj% then 83 years of age. He turned with a 
sad heart that he had been refused admission to the tomb of tlie man 
he had reverenced from his boyhood. We can bring a cloud of wit- 
nesses to prove that the Regents demanded a price exceeding 25 cts. 
for admission to the grounds. 

It is reasonable to suppose that an association generous enough to 
provide free admision, boat fare included,to 70 Senators,333 Represen- 
tatives,Cabinet officials, and the chief clerks, and "friends of the fam- 
ily," — uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, and cousinstoo numer- 
ous to mention — would also be generous enougli to admit bonafide 
subscribers to the fund that purchased the estate for 25 cents when 
ottered at the gate ! Tlie author of tliis circular liberally subscribed 
to that fund, j'et his otter of 25 cents to be admitted to Washington's 
tomb was refused ! 

"It has been frequently repeated that the tomb of Washiuf(ton is the only 
torab in the world for thepiivilejie of visitini^ which a fee is exacted. Even in 
the strict technical sense tliis is not correct, and no one who has traveled but 
knows what "a pretty-penny" it costs in one shape or another to pay devoirs 
at the tomb of saint, bard, orator or ciiieftain." 

We do not see the point in the above paragraph to justify the ex- 
tortion to gain admittance toMt. Vernon. Because a "pretty-penny"' 
is demanded to visit a tomb in foreign lands is it claimed that the 
Regents have a precedent which gives them the right to demand a 
" pretty-dollar " to visit Washington's grave ? All travelers in for- 
F— eigH lauds say th.at this "pretty-penny" system of begging is a great 

annoyance : and foreign visitors to Washington entertain the same 
disgust at the extortion of a dolhir to visit the tomb of Washington. 
Here is an instance of foreign travelers rebuking our American sys- 
tem of paying "devoirs at the tomb of a great chieftain" : Twelve 
citizens of Loudon visited Washington in a body, July, '84. possess- 
ing means enough to travel over this entire continent, yet the twelve 
returned to London without visiting Mount Vernon, because the tax 
imposed was contrary to an Englishman's idea of a ]>roper respect for 
the dead. In the language of the Psalmist, "Oh, Lord, how long" 
shall this American system of tomb speculation exist ? 

The author of this circular is responsible for the statement that 
AVashington's tomb is the only tomb in the world that requires a fee to 
visit. We here confess our error. We learn from a letter recently pub- 
lished in the Cincinnati Enquirer that Abraham Lincoln's tomb has 
been added to tlie '•museum" list, where the visitor, at the moderate 
chaige of 25 cents, is shown a vnricty of "interesting relics," such as 
a piece of wood from the box where Lincoln was killed, and stained 
with his blood ; also, a piece of an actress dress worn at the theatre 
at that time. Another "relic" is "the hole" where Robert Lincoln 
will be put when he dies, so described by the guide who collects the 
quarters from visitors. The sale of photographs to gain admission to 
Garfield's tomb is another "pretty-penny" scheme in the line of 
sepulchral speculation. It is safe to say that the three graves above 
named are the only ones in the world except a few in half-civilized 
countries where a peiniy is solicited from the beggars in charge. No 
other nation except this great and glorious Republic— this "land of 
the free and home of the brave" can boast of a deposit in a bank of 



I "ii-i'lT? 






$37,000 exacted from pilgrims to a sacred slirine. 

No other party but the Government shonkl own Washington's es- 
tate. Arlington Is so owned and all expenses to keep the property in 
repair are paid by the Government. Arlington is free to all, and not 
an instance is on record that this privilege has been abused. Can 
the managers of Mt. Vernon claim more, or as much respect for the 
dead as Arlington receives ? The aristocracy, so much coni'ted by the 
Regents, are more noted for their vandalism than reverence for the 
i-emains of Washington. A due respect for the ISTation's illustrious 
dead demand'^ that Mt. Vernon should be as free to the public as Ar- 
lington, the labored article published in the Baltimore Sun to the 
contrary notwithstanding. This Eepublic had better pay $10,000,000 
for the property than subject citizens and foreign visitors to the pre- 
sent exorbitant tax. This great and rich Government cannot aftbrd 
to let the civilized nations of the world criticise and ridicule the sys- 
tem which demands a fee, even to the amount of a penny, from visi- 
tors to the tombs of Washington and Lincoln. 

"Mount Vernon is unlike all other spots where the boues of the venerated 
dead repose. It has not only the tomb, but the home of Washington. The 
graves of other threat men — of those whose last restlna: place on the earth is the 
object of popular devotion and solieitude — have totally different surroundings 
and require no special income." 

The above argument is so ttnlike common sense that we are sur- 
prised that the" intelligent and judicious correspondent of the Sun 
should offer it as a i-eason for adopting the present tax system at Mt. 
V. He contends that the bones of Washington are so unlike the l)on('s 
of other great men that no other agency but the present Regency 
possess the requisite qualifications to take charge of them . 'I'he bones 
of other great men can be safely placed in charge of a government and 
its appointed agents, but the bones of Washington are so unlike the 
bones of other venerated dead that it requires an association com- 
posed of venerated ladies for their safe and proper keeping. 

The following frankly and clearly admits the dollar fee : 

"Froji the time of the purchase all visitors comins; by laud have paid only 

?,5ets- V'Uors bv water pav $1, of whicli the boat owner receives 66 cents 

and the association 34 cents. Nine cents of this latter is app'iieu'to ujc" 
of the wharf. The round trip by water is thirty miles." 

In addition to the above figures, the Sun's correspondent could 
have added another interesting item. Tliis same steamer Corcoran 
that takes 60 cents fare from passsengers who land at Mount Vernon, 
advertises to take passengers who do not hmd at Mt. V. to Glymont 
and back to Washington, nearly twice the distance for 25 cents. The 
boat after landing the Mt. V. visitors, at a cost of (J6 cts fare, pro- 
ceeds down the river to that popular and romantic landing Glymont. 
charging the low fare of 25 cents for the round trip. We commend 
this cheap and interesting excursion to all who object or cannot afford 
to pay $1 to land Mt. V. The 25 cents passengers from the deck of 
the steamer get a good outside view of Washington's home and save 
75 cents by contimiiiig down the Potomac ten miles farther. Another 
fast and commodious steamer Arrowsmith is now making daily trips 
to Colonial lieach, 70 miles down the Potomac and return, for 50 cts.. 
yet to visit Mt. Vernon, the short distance of 15 miles, 66 cts. steam- 
boat fare and 34 cts. admission fee is demanded form each visitor ; and 
another fact, visitors are not only compelled to pay one dollar to 
gain admittance, but restricted to one particular boat, one particular 
hour^ 10 a. m. At no other time, 10 a. m., can the public secure a 
passage down the river to Mt. V. at any price. Tiiat precise hour 
and the price is a costly monopoly, yet we are told by the Regent's 
gallant defender that " The tomb of Washington i.i reall;/ the only 
tomb in the world which covers an illustrious hero and statesman that pri ■ 
vale greed and selfishness does notp7'ofit by''"' !!! As the tombs in all 
nations, except in the United States, can be visited without inoiiey 



and without price, we are at a loss to conceive hoAv "private o'reed 
and selfishness" can derive any ])rofit thereby. It is nnjust and out 
of place for an American to insinuate that tombs in Europe are used 
as a means of speculation. Add all the fees collected from visitors to 
tombs m England, France, and Germany together during a century 
they would not amount to $7!».ono, the sum collected in six months 
from visitors to ]MoMnt Vernon in ]87G ! If $79,000 collected in six- 
months is not sufficient to sustain a charge of "greed and selfisJiness" 
pray tell ns what sum would be required ? 

Let it also be taken into consideration that no admittance is per- 
mitted on Sundaj\«, and no boat except at 10 a. m., many thousands 
«Mn])loyed in tlie departments, in the stores, meclianics and laborers 
generally are entirely shut out from Mt. V. at any price for the want 
of a liver conveyance on Sundnvs. or between o and G p m This 
rule that provides but one boat and 10 a. m. the only hour in the day 
to secure a i)assage is more deserving of censure tlian the dollar fee 
It completely excludes a worthy class of citizens, and surpasses a 
greed and selfislniess computed by dollars and cents. 
Here's another sublime sentence : 

"Tiie method has l.ccn to make the atmosphere of Mount Vernon like a pri- 
vate home, with the halo of Washii)a;toii forever around it " 

True as holy writ. The method tliat excludes nineteen out of 
twenty from A\ asliingtou"s estate isverv "like a private home." and 
a kind of a "halo" wliich thousands thus forbidden to cross its three- 
hold do not enthusiasticly appreciate. Less "halo" and more respect 
for public rights would be far more acceptable ! 

Here is what can be pioperly called a "tender" argument : 
"To repeat, there is no other tomh in the world like that at Mount Vernon 
JNo tomb can lie more tenderly and more efficiently cared for." 

A tender care for the dea<l is no more commendable than a tender 
care fertile livimj. A truism that invites the special attention of 
tlie Regents. 

The following is eloquent, if not so truthful : 

"No nian no woman, no true American, who stands with reverent 'lead '••■ 
^.JiS-t^cio ,>1 »V«^;,Tj;ton, v.iii o!>jiA.i, tu cuu ibuliuj;: 25 ceiils. " - . - 

Tiie writer again repeats that tlie admittance fee is only 25 cts A^et 
several tunes in ids letter lie admits tliat the actual cost is 6(5 cts boat 
faie, and .U cts. gate fee. If he can convince the thousands who 
liave visited Mt. V. and paid $1.50, and never less than $1, "that the 
a<lniittance fee never exceeded 25 cts., he will accomplisli a wonder- 
ful teat, ^o true American would object to contributing 25 cts to 
protect ANashington's tomb, but tlie peojile do object to tlfe large smn 
of money (.ollect.-d annually. They do object that thousands are ex- 
cluded from the tomb by the rule that permits but one boat and 
one appointed hour to secure a passage. No, that 25 ets i< not the 
question at issue, and to which the true American people objecr to 
while standing wiih reverent head s at the tomb of Uashingu)ii" ! 

To remove the ladies eomi)risiiifi' the Association from Mount Vernon is not 
our or desire. "With all thy faults we love thee still." Our object is to induce 
Compress to appropriate annually a liberal sum, and place the same in the 
liands of the Rejrcnts to be expended in the way their practical gwod sense may 
dictate, then open the irates free to all worthy visitors. Consress should aui, 
do another noble act, appropriate money sufficient to make VVashin.' tons 
Home a GRAND N.\TIONAL PARK ; let every foot of the 200 acres be uUlized 
for a park pre.sentin<i- a majmiQcent display of flowers, eleijanf marblcstatuary 
fountains, an art -a lery etc.. in this way make the estate the loveliest .<pot ii 
the world, all placid under the supervisi..n of American wo^ en (...ninent for 
mte licence and patriotism. In this way the remains of VVashiutrton would 
receive the honor and attention they deserve. "'"^"'ii «ouiu 

WasMngUm, July 4th, laStt-^^''^"'''""^' """^'"''' ^- ^ UA., l€.V 

LIBRARV OF CONGRESV^^ 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




